1971 Monte Bello

1971 Monte Bello

Wine Information

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage

1971

Vineyard

Monte Bello

Appellation

Santa Cruz Mountains

Alcohol By Volume

12.2%

Vintage Notes

Our Cabernet grapes reached their balance in 1971 at slightly lower sugar than usual and produced a wine with more elegance and finesse than we have yet seen. The wine was fermented dry on the skins and from completion of its malolactic in November, was aged in small cooperage until bottled. Softer than the 1970, but with the same fine cabernet character, the 1971 will need at least six years in bottle to approach its plateau of maturity.

History

Ridge wine is made with an emphasis on quality and naturalness that is rarely attempted. Our grapes are grown in select vineyards (usually identified on the label), where they are left to ripen to peak maturity, often at some loss of quantity. We let the wine settle and age in small barrels, with only rare cellar treatment other than racking. Varieties are not blended unless so indicated on the label. Near Black Mountain on Monte Bello Ridge, our main vineyard is 10 miles south of Palo Alto, 15 miles inland from the ocean, and over 2000 feet in elevation.

Consumer Tasting Notes

Average Rating: 92.8

No. of Tasting Notes: 6

View this wine on CellarTracker

Vintage Tracker

See how this and other vintages of Monte Bello are drinking today.

Vintage Tracker

Marketing Materials

Food Pairings

See all food pairing recipes we have created specifically for this wine.

See pairings

Wait!

In order to qualify for user related discounts, you must log in before proceeding with checkout. Click the button below to log in and receive these benefits, or close the window to continue.

Log In